The age old debate: to spend money or not to spend money...

Countrymadegirl

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Last night I had an idea for a name for a blog, and the idea for the contents. I was excited, and immediately checked that the blog name wasn't taken by someone else (google search), and quickly snapped up the Twitter and Instagram handles, but today I am quibbling over platforms and spending money.

How long did you wait before buying your domain/hosting?

Did you go for Blogger, or splurge on Wordpress' fees?

How long before you waited to set up monetisation?

I am not brand new to blogging, but I am brand new to making money through a blog, and my head is spinning (pleasantly) from checking out Totally Blogging, but I just wanted to get some opinions!

Thanks in advance! :cool:
 

Ginnybean

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Last night I had an idea for a name for a blog, and the idea for the contents. I was excited, and immediately checked that the blog name wasn't taken by someone else (google search), and quickly snapped up the Twitter and Instagram handles, but today I am quibbling over platforms and spending money.

How long did you wait before buying your domain/hosting?

Did you go for Blogger, or splurge on Wordpress' fees?

How long before you waited to set up monetisation?

I am not brand new to blogging, but I am brand new to making money through a blog, and my head is spinning (pleasantly) from checking out Totally Blogging, but I just wanted to get some opinions!

Thanks in advance! :cool:

Buy the domain as soon as you can. The hosting can wait but get the domain so no one else can have it. Especially if you already have the name out there on social media etc. Better safe than sorry.

Wordpress all the way. Blogger is a pain if you are doing anything but hobby blogging and also a pain to switch to Wordpress later - based on personal experience (the less said about that the better......)

Monetisation? Newer to me but I am doing it from the start on my new blog so it has always just been there!

Sounds like we are at a similar point in this incarnation of the blogging journey maybe we could support each other?
 

Countrymadegirl

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Buy the domain as soon as you can. The hosting can wait but get the domain so no one else can have it. Especially if you already have the name out there on social media etc. Better safe than sorry.

Wordpress all the way. Blogger is a pain if you are doing anything but hobby blogging and also a pain to switch to Wordpress later - based on personal experience (the less said about that the better......)

Monetisation? Newer to me but I am doing it from the start on my new blog so it has always just been there!

Sounds like we are at a similar point in this incarnation of the blogging journey maybe we could support each other?

The only thing that puts me off Wordpress is the fees! I tried using it once, and they wanted to charge me for using my own domain and hosting, and would charge me for using my own purchased theme (from another company), and I skiddadled back to Blogger!

Have you been working through the information on Totally Blogging?

That would be lovely! :D
 

Ginnybean

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The only thing that puts me off Wordpress is the fees! I tried using it once, and they wanted to charge me for using my own domain and hosting, and would charge me for using my own purchased theme (from another company), and I skiddadled back to Blogger!

Have you been working through the information on Totally Blogging?

That would be lovely! :D

Were you using wordpress.com where you can have free blog but then choose to add domain etc? Get hosting and use wordpress.org (install from the hosting) as its easy to use and no fees beyond hosting - loads of free or cheap themes. I'd say pay for hosting and get a free theme. Very easy to mix them up!! Check out the hosting and domain offer on the sidebar of the forum - get both for £30 for a year (says 25 on graphic but I added the VAT) - use survey earnings to pay for it??

I have been through all the stuff on Totally Blogging and loads of other resources (sorry always over do the research!!). Also been blogging on and off hobby and business (but never affiliate etc which I am now planning) for many many years.

Sounds good :)
 

Countrymadegirl

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Were you using wordpress.com where you can have free blog but then choose to add domain etc? Get hosting and use wordpress.org (install from the hosting) as its easy to use and no fees beyond hosting - loads of free or cheap themes. I'd say pay for hosting and get a free theme. Very easy to mix them up!! Check out the hosting and domain offer on the sidebar of the forum - get both for £30 for a year (says 25 on graphic but I added the VAT) - use survey earnings to pay for it??

I have been through all the stuff on Totally Blogging and loads of other resources (sorry always over do the research!!). Also been blogging on and off hobby and business (but never affiliate etc which I am now planning) for many many years.

Sounds good :)

Yes, I was just using Wordpress.com and a separate hosting site (1-2-3 if I remember correctly), so it was getting pricey!

I think what's put me off using Wordpress.org is that it seems like you need to understand code etc to use it, and I know nothing, so I played it safe with Blogger. I also only paid about £8 for my domain and the privacy 'who is' thing with 1-2-3, so paying £30 is a bit of a jump.

Will have to do the sums and work out which is more expensive for me, Wordpress.com vs Wordpress.org!
 

Ginnybean

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Yes, I was just using Wordpress.com and a separate hosting site (1-2-3 if I remember correctly), so it was getting pricey!

I think what's put me off using Wordpress.org is that it seems like you need to understand code etc to use it, and I know nothing, so I played it safe with Blogger. I also only paid about £8 for my domain and the privacy 'who is' thing with 1-2-3, so paying £30 is a bit of a jump.

Will have to do the sums and work out which is more expensive for me, Wordpress.com vs Wordpress.org!

If you want to use affiliate networks and put banners etc on I think you might need to use wordpress.org as the .com is rather restricted.

I just did a bit of maths. .org v .com.

.org = year 1 total £40

Domain name around £10 if separate
Hosting £30 including VAT

.com = year 1 total £46
Domain name around £10
Smallest .com account £3 per month = £36 (to be able to use own domain name)

Self hosted .org actually looks cheaper!?!
 

Countrymadegirl

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If you want to use affiliate networks and put banners etc on I think you might need to use wordpress.org as the .com is rather restricted.

I just did a bit of maths. .org v .com.

.org = year 1 total £40

Domain name around £10 if separate
Hosting £30 including VAT

.com = year 1 total £46
Domain name around £10
Smallest .com account £3 per month = £36 (to be able to use own domain name)

Self hosted .org actually looks cheaper!?!

And if I used the link, it would only cost me £30, as it comes with a free domain? I wonder how long it would take me to earn it back through monetisation? Interesting...
 

Ginnybean

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And if I used the link, it would only cost me £30, as it comes with a free domain? I wonder how long it would take me to earn it back through monetisation? Interesting...

Correct just £30. That's what I did.

No idea how long it would take to earn this back through monetisation. I know lots here will have a better idea on that than me! @Jon @The Reverend @katykicker to name a few
 

Jon

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Correct just £30. That's what I did.

No idea how long it would take to earn this back through monetisation. I know lots here will have a better idea on that than me! @Jon @The Reverend @katykicker to name a few

Yeah there’s no safe answer to that so I would just view the £30 as a self employed business express that you claim back anyway @wordsbyashlie
 
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Ginnybean

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Yeah there’s no safe answer to that so I would just view the £30 as a self employed business express that you claim back anyway @wordsbyashlie

That's a very good answer. As an accountant I can confirm that is indeed a business expense :cool:
 
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Jon

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That's a very good answer. As an accountant I can confirm that is indeed a business expense :cool:
Aye, hosting, anything else you spend on your site (themes, plugins etc) not to mention your laptops/printer etc can all be (and should be!) claimed as a business expense when you are self employed!
 

Jon

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Just remember that the 'build it and they will come' mantra doesn't really apply to blogging any more.

For me it generally goes

Come up with an idea
Create Content
SEO the heck out of it
Spend the next few days after it goes up promoting it over your social media channels aggressively so people know about it and hopefully share it links to it.
Pray to the Google Gods!

Around all that you need to be looking at doing regular guest posts on other blogs as well that are relevant to your niche to help push your Domain Authority up.

Once your DA gets high enough you will start getting sponsored posts that will typically be £50-£200 'copy and paste jobs' or £500+ 'You write the 600-word post yourself and include their link'

Once your 'regular' audience improves and your Trust goes higher with them (Why Trust is so important as a blogger!) the readers will be FAR happier to click on your affiliate links etc.

Then, of course, you can look at bringing in other ways of passive income such as using media.net on your site.
 

Countrymadegirl

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Just remember that the 'build it and they will come' mantra doesn't really apply to blogging any more.

For me it generally goes

Come up with an idea
Create Content
SEO the heck out of it
Spend the next few days after it goes up promoting it over your social media channels aggressively so people know about it and hopefully share it links to it.
Pray to the Google Gods!

Around all that you need to be looking at doing regular guest posts on other blogs as well that are relevant to your niche to help push your Domain Authority up.

Once your DA gets high enough you will start getting sponsored posts that will typically be £50-£200 'copy and paste jobs' or £500+ 'You write the 600-word post yourself and include their link'

Once your 'regular' audience improves and your Trust goes higher with them (Why Trust is so important as a blogger!) the readers will be FAR happier to click on your affiliate links etc.

Then, of course, you can look at bringing in other ways of passive income such as using media.net on your site.

Thanks for this Jon, I'm assuming you have an SEO guide on the Totally Blogging site? I'm edging towards Wordpress.org, and will look into plugins that help with SEO!

My only concern is that this all depends on existing social media following, which is not high.

I will look into doing the self-employed thing on Monday, and get working!
 

Ginnybean

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I'm edging towards Wordpress.org, and will look into plugins that help with SEO!

My only concern is that this all depends on existing social media following, which is not high.

Yoast SEO plugin seems to be recommended by just about everyone I read.

Social media I don't think needs to have a high following now as you will build it around the blog. This will take time and I think one of the keys is collaboration as well as promoting the heck out of it as Jon says. It does all take time to build up.

The offical signup for self employed is on the HMRC p[ages at gov.uk https://www.gov.uk/working-for-yourself
 

Jon

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Yoast SEO plugin seems to be recommended by just about everyone I read.

Social media I don't think needs to have a high following now as you will build it around the blog. This will take time and I think one of the keys is collaboration as well as promoting the heck out of it as Jon says. It does all take time to build up.

The offical signup for self employed is on the HMRC p[ages at gov.uk https://www.gov.uk/working-for-yourself

Aye, Yoast SEO will take of everything for you post wise. SEMRush is also an excellent tool that I use to help get your posts ranking higher on Google.
 

Countrymadegirl

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Yoast SEO plugin seems to be recommended by just about everyone I read.

Social media I don't think needs to have a high following now as you will build it around the blog. This will take time and I think one of the keys is collaboration as well as promoting the heck out of it as Jon says. It does all take time to build up.

The offical signup for self employed is on the HMRC p[ages at gov.uk https://www.gov.uk/working-for-yourself

Thank you for this Ginny! I know I've only been doing this for two weeks or so now, but it's important to me that what I'm doing is above board! :)
 

Countrymadegirl

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Aye, Yoast SEO will take of everything for you post wise. SEMRush is also an excellent tool that I use to help get your posts ranking higher on Google.

Thank you Jon, will add these to my list! I think I have decided I'm going to do it, so going to try to get my head around Wordpress.org today, and use the sign up offer.

I honestly struggle with the administrative side of blogging, sometimes I wish there was someone that could set it all up for me, and then all I would have to focus on is the writing, but I'm guessing I would be charged an arm and a leg for that kind of service! ;)
 

Jon

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Thank you Jon, will add these to my list! I think I have decided I'm going to do it, so going to try to get my head around Wordpress.org today, and use the sign up offer.

I honestly struggle with the administrative side of blogging, sometimes I wish there was someone that could set it all up for me, and then all I would have to focus on is the writing, but I'm guessing I would be charged an arm and a leg for that kind of service! ;)
Once you’ve bought your hosting + domain installing Wordpress in your hosting space is just a few clicks and then you can get on with creating your blog with everything in one place :)
 

Countrymadegirl

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Once you’ve bought your hosting + domain installing Wordpress in your hosting space is just a few clicks and then you can get on with creating your blog with everything in one place :)

My only last niggling concern is how much they will want to charge at the renewal stage, will the price hike up to £50 or beyond, and if it does, what concerns me is how difficult it will be to move host etc when I have my domain with them too...
 

Jon

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My only last niggling concern is how much they will want to charge at the renewal stage, will the price hike up to £50 or beyond, and if it does, what concerns me is how difficult it will be to move host etc when I have my domain with them too...
Moving host is easy since whoever your new provider would be would do it for you

And yes it would be £50 in year 2 as you are getting 50% off in the first year
 

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